Valentine Surprises
by Graciously Grieving
Summary: Draco is trying his best to avoid being with Pansy this Valentine's, but he has no idea how far from Pansy he really will get. Kind of a crappy summary, but it makes sense later in the story.
1. One

**AN:** Okay, here is a new story for all of my Draco/Ron followers. I really didn't like the way I ended the last one, but I knew I wouldn't be able to work on it for at least a month and I didn't want to just leave it hanging for that long, so I decided to do a new one, although this one took me forever to even think of a new concept. So I do hope everyone likes it, so yeah on with the story.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the rights to Harry Potter, but it would be awesome if I did, so this is as close as I'm ever going to get.

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Hermione threw up her hands in frustration as she stared at her two best friends. They had a major Potions final the next day and although she knew everything, she knew they didn't. So she was trying her best to cram it all in to their heads the day before. She also knew there was no way she was going to be able to help them cheat the next day, so they need to know everything themselves, but the study session wasn't going the way she had hoped it to. 

Harry stared out the window longingly. He could still see the outlines of the Quidditch posts in the distance. Quidditch season had started, which meant Harry's mind was always going back to the next time he could be out there, or the last time he was, unfortunately that was the only time Harry could think of when it came to Quidditch, because he'd been permanently been kicked off.

Ron had actually fallen asleep on his book. He had been listening to Hermione for over 4 hours, and now he couldn't even keep his eyes open. He hadn't listened to Snape for the past two weeks, so he really did need to learn this, but he couldn't.

Hermione closed the big book in front of her and pushed back her chair. The screeching noise woke Ron up immediately and Harry quickly turned back to Hermione. The girl looked at both boys disappointedly. Without another word to either boy she stormed out of the library.

"Ron, you have some drool hanging off your chin." Harry said staring at his redheaded friend. Ron quickly wiped his chin and closed his book to pack up.

A few moments later the boys walked by a very disgruntled Madam Pince. The librarian had been waiting for hours for the trio to leave. She had been getting tired of listening to Hermione say everything and the two boys making tapping noise as they distantly listened.

Ron and Harry entered the dormitory and found it empty. Hermione had already gone to bed, not wanting to see the boys. Ron and Harry took the emptiness for what it was, and went up to the bedrooms and got into their beds and fell asleep, only hoping they could pass the test tomorrow.

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The next morning the boys woke up miserable and angry that they hadn't listened to Hermione last night. They knew they were going to fail, and there was nothing they could do about it.

After breakfast the 5th year Gryffindors and Slytherins walked down to the dungeons, and to Snape's test. Everyone knew it wasn't going to be something easy, they knew it was probably going to be something so hard that it would make most of them cry.

Everyone walked into the dungeon and took their seats. After the bell rang Snape emerged from his office. He stared at the class coldly behind his curtain of greasy hair. He then turned to the blackboard and hit it with his wand, then turned back to the class.

"Now, all of you will start with a written portion of the test, then you will turn your attention up here and follow these directions to create the potion portion of the test, however, the board is bewitched to tell each of you a different potion so there will be no cheating." He stepped down off the platform. "Begin." Everyone looked down at their tests and Snape began to walk around the room to look for any cheaters, even though the papers were bewitched to stop cheating, he knew it made his students uncomfortable for him to walk around.

When the bell rang _everyone _was happy and they all rushed out of the dungeon. The Trio were some of the last people to leave, along with Draco and his goons. Draco gave them a snooty look and pushed his way out the door before them, leaving them to be **the** last people.

"You know he's really confident now, but during the test I saw him sweating."

"Hermione, he shouldn't have sweated at all." Ron said absently.

"What? Of course he should've. I did."

"Hermione, one, he's a Slytherin, two, his father is one of Snape's most trusted 'friends'." He said in a matter of fact way.

"That shouldn't mean anything."

"But it does, and there is nothing we can do about it."

"That's right, Weasel." Ron looked over quickly to see the blonde boy leaning against a column smugly. "Being well connected to the right people can get you anything, but you wouldn't know anything about that, now wouldn't you?" The blonde said standing erect. Ron took in a deep breath, and unclenched his hands.

"Draco, what are you going to do when your father dies? His connections will die as well and then you'll be left with no connections and then where will you be?" Hermione said pushing the redhead away from the blonde, who just stared after them. Harry gave Draco one last look and he followed his friends.

Hermione pushed Ron all the way to the greenhouse before she quit. "You shouldn't let him get to you as much. You know he only does it because he gets a reaction from you." Harry said coming up behind them.

"It's hard to not react to him. He's always been great at insulting me, my money, my connections, and my family; I can't stop reacting because I feel the need to defend myself."

"That may be true, but if you stopped reacting he might actually stop insulting."

Ron was about to say something when Professor Sprout walked in. Class went by slowly, but it did finally end. The trio walked out of the greenhouse and back up to the castle. Hermione still had another class to go to, but Harry and Ron were just going to head back up to the dorm.

"Hey Harry, I'll meet you up there."

"Okay." The dark-haired said.

Ron walked down the hallway with his hands in his pockets and stared at the ground. He stopped as he saw someone walking towards him. He looked up to find Draco alone. The blonde looked awkward in the hall because he wasn't shrouded by his bulky thugs. Draco stared coldly at the redhead.

"What are you looking at Weasel?"

"How small you actually are."

"Why you…" Draco began to shake.

"Forget about it Draco, I don't really want any trouble right now, not to mention I don't really think you can take on anyone without your bullies." Draco's cheeks flushed a bright pink.

'Whatever. You just better stay out of my way tomorrow." Draco stormed by Ron without another word.

Draco walked down to the Slytherin Common Room. He had been trying to get away from everyone in order to think, but he found it unsuccessful. He had gone to the library and Pansy had followed him. He tried to go to a classroom, but couldn't find any, where a teacher or some students weren't in them. The Prefect Bathroom had at least 4 prefects in it. There were some Ravenclaws up in the Owlery, and now on his way back to his common room he ran into Ron.

Draco walked into the common room to find it insufferably crowded. Before anyone saw him Draco walked right back out of the room and up the stairs to the hallways again. There was no place he could be alone. He stopped in the hall and looked out the opening. It wasn't quite time for dinner so he was still allowed outside, but where would he go?

He didn't care where he went he just wanted to be alone, so he walked outside and starting walking down the hill towards the lake. He got as close as he wanted to and sat down. He'd been trying to think of what he was going to do this year for Valentine's Day. Of course he was still single, and he enjoyed it that way, but every Valentine's Day it made him hate that he was single. So he did his best to look upon the day as any other, but with Pansy constantly following him around fawning over him more on Valentine's it was the hardest thing he could think of.

This year though, he didn't just want to look at Valentine's like a normal day, he wanted to get rid of Pansy by that time, so he could look at it normally. He had thought of paying someone to go out with her, but thought it would be too expensive. So then he thought of finding another Slytherin girl to go out with for a while, but then as he thought about it, figured it would take too much effort. He then thought of just giving in and dating Pansy, but quickly thought otherwise, he was after all trying to get rid of her, not help her get closer.

As he was lying on the ground next to the lake, it had grown darker and he was awaken by the bell for dinner. He hadn't solved any of his problems, even in the two hours of silence. Draco walked into the Great Hall sullen, but when he saw a few of his fellow Slytherins were looking at him worried, he straightened up to his normal smugness.

Ron, Harry, and Hermione had actually been sitting in the Great Hall for almost an hour. They didn't have much to do today, and the common room was so crowded that they had no other choice, but to go some other place. They had thought of going to Hagrid's, but thought otherwise with Umbridge still lurking around, so they ended up in the hall.

The meal was regular as usual. After a while everyone started to exit but the trio stayed because they weren't ready to go to the common room, but they couldn't just roam around since they were on Umbridge's bad list already. Food would always come out as long as they wanted it, so they ate slowly and ate more. Soon there were only about fifteen people left in the hall and the trio decided it was a good time to finally leave.

Draco watched the Trio leave; then decided he was going to leave as well. He saw Crabbe and Goyle were still stuffing their faces, so he wouldn't have to worry about them, but on his way out Pansy cornered him.

"Draco, I want to talk to you."

Draco rolled his eyes. "About what?"

"You've been ignoring me for weeks now, and you know that I don't like to be ignored. Not to mention Valentine's Day will be coming up in a few weeks and I don't want us to be separate when it comes around. So I wanted to know what was wrong."

"First off Pansy, you and I aren't together anyway, so being separate on Valentine's isn't a big deal, and secondly, there's nothing wrong, and even if there was I would be telling you. It's my business so stay out of it." Draco walked out of the Great Hall doors to be met by another person he wasn't too happy to see.

"That was pretty harsh."

"Shut up Weasel Bee, you wouldn't know anything about it."

"Probably not, but you could have at least said it more decently."

"She doesn't deserve decency, and neither do you, so get out of my way."

"Whatever."

Draco walked past the redhead, but quickly turned around to face him. "And what the hell are you doing back here anyways, didn't you leave?"

"It's not really your business, but I forgot my bag in the Great Hall, so I came back to get it. Why do you care?"

"I don't." The blonde responded defensively. Ron shrugged and went into the hall to get his bag. Draco looked at the doors for a moment then continued walking back to the common room.

Ron walked in and saw Pansy sitting at the Slytherin table sulking. He was almost tempted to talk to her, but then nearly kicked himself for even thinking it. He grabbed the bag and walked back out of the hall and up the stairs for his room.

The next morning was a Saturday, so there weren't classes that day, so everyone was content with hanging out. Ron had told Harry about Draco and Pansy, he even told him about how he almost felt sorry for Pansy.

"Draco has always been an ass, so I'm not sure how you found it so surprising." Harry said as he flipped through the pages of an old Quidditch book.

"I don't know; it just did."

"Well, I wouldn't worry too much about it, what I would worry about if I were you, would be the Quidditch match today and seeing Draco then."

"You had to remind me that we were playing Slytherin." Ron started pacing in front of the fireplace.

"I'm sorry, but you might as well start getting prepared. Did you eat breakfast this morning?"

"I ate some."

"Ron, are you ever going to be comfortable playing Quidditch?"

"One day." He turned to his best friend. "I'm getting better at it. Sort of."

Harry laughed. Ron turned paler than he already was. "Would you quit worrying?" Ron sat down in a chair and starting breathing irregularly. Harry eyed his friend suspiciously; then turned back to his book as Ron calmed down.

A few hours later everyone was down at the Quidditch pitch ready for the match. Ron had nearly fallen from panic attacks on the way down; unfortunately it was in front of Draco who had taken the opportunity to ridicule the redhead.

It seemed like a lifetime before the match started for Ron. But finally it did start, and although it was going horribly for Gryffindor, Ron had managed to save a few goals, but he was still having nerves. Draco had been flying near the goal posts to mock Ron, but at the moment he was looking around for the Snitch and saw Ginny flying fast towards the Slytherin goal posts, so he decided she had probably found the Snitch and he would just outrace her.

But on his way around the Gryffindor goal posts he was met by Ron's broom. Ron had been flying higher than Draco though, so his broom knocked Draco right across the face, and in turn Draco's broom went upward causing Ron to lose control when their brooms collided and Ron flew right into the goal posts knocking him out. Both boys landed at the base of the poles in a heap.

Everyone silenced and stared at the end of the field. Ginny stared down in horror when she saw the mess. She knew she had to find the Snitch quick now, because they couldn't stop the game long enough to remove both boys. Luckily the Snitch flew in front of her face and she reached out and grabbed it. She flew to Madam Hooch who signaled the game's end and she flew down to her brother along with the rest of the Gryffindor team and the Slytherin team.

Teachers were immediately on the field shoving students to the side to get to the two at the base of the poles. A few minutes later the teachers were on their way up to the castle and the hospital wing.

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**AN:** Okay so this is the first chapter, and there really isn't a lot of interaction between them yet, but there will be next chapter, so stay tuned and the relationship will develop, hopefully into a good story. So tell me what you think so far. 


	2. Two

**AN:** I really have nothing else to say other than this chapter is full of emotional crap, which I'm not real sure if I like but hey I think it's a good chapter. So here you go. Hope you like it

**Disclaimer:** I am not J.K. Rowling, and I don't own the rights to Harry Potter sadly enough.

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Draco woke up drowsily in the hospital wing the next day. He tried to sit up but found himself too light-headed. He looked to the sides and saw flowers and chocolates all around him; then he saw the bright red hair in the bed next to him. He was about to say something to see if the other boy was awake, but someone's excited scream distracted him. He quickly turned back to the doorway to find the dark-haired girl he hated so much was running towards him with more chocolates in hand.

"Draco, oh what joy, you're awake. I was so afraid that you'd been hurt so badly you were never going to wake up." Draco settled into his bed as Pansy placed the chocolates next to him. "How are you feeling? Are you okay? Do you hurt anywhere?" Pansy continued ecstatically.

"Madam Pomfrey!" Draco jumped at the new voice. The nurse immediately ran into the room and past Draco's bed.

"What is it, Mr. Weasley? Are you in pain? You nearly gave me a heart attack." The woman said out of breath.

"Either tell Malfoy's guest to shut her mouth, or get out, her voice is making my head spin."

"Shut up Weasel, you're just jealous Draco has someone visiting him."

"No, I just **hate** the sound of your voice, and looking at you makes me sicker than I already am." Ron said hatefully. Draco was a little stunned at his rival's harshness. Pansy looked at him for support.

"Miss Parkinson, I do think it's time for you to leave, Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy are both still in need of care, and since both are awake, it's best they don't get riled to easily, so off you go." Madam Pomfrey pushed the young Slytherin out of the wing leaving Draco and Ron alone again.

"I never thought I would thank you for anything Weasel, but—"

"Shut up. I didn't do it for you; I can't stand the sound of her voice." Ron looked over at the blonde, who was quite taken aback. "Why do you even allow her near you? I know you hate her."

"How the hell would I know why I do what I do?" Draco sat up quickly, but was forced to lie back down when his head spun out of control.

"Don't overexert yourself. Pomfrey will scold you for hours and I don't want to hear it."

"Piss off. When the bloody hell did you get so aggressive?"

"I'm not aggressive, I'm tired."

"Tired? You haven't done anything in here."

"We've been in here for three days, I want out. I'm tired of sitting in this bed doing nothing."

"You would rather leave and go and do schoolwork?"

"No. I just want out of here."

Madam Pomfrey entered the room again and both boys quieted themselves. She eyed them carefully, but walked into her office without a word. Draco looked back over at Ron, who was staring out the windows across the way. The boy's bed wasn't surrounded by noxious flowers and chocolate; Draco was sure all of his were from Pansy, and he wasn't that big a fan of flowers anyway, and she should've known that. Although he did like chocolate, he was a little afraid of what was in them, so he considered Ron lucky that he was covered in gifts.

"Why are we still here anyway?" Draco asked turning his attention to the windows as well.

"They want to make sure we don't have any head trauma. Dumbledore is bringing an actual healer to check us out later today." The redhead answered without looking away from the windows.

"How much later?"

"Why are you all of a sudden ready to get out of here?"

"Like you, I don't really want to spend so much time here, it's boring."

"No, I don't know when he's coming."

Draco sighed heavily. He looked past Ron at the office towards the end. When he didn't see any movement he pushed his covers off and swung his feet off the bed and stretched upward. Ron looked over at him curious. Draco turned to see the Gryffindor staring at him. Draco smirked mischievously, Ron's eyebrows raised. Draco stood up from the bed and began walking around his bed.

Draco walked towards Ron's bed causing Ron to sit up more. Draco sat at the end of the redhead's bed. "Come on Weasel, even you don't want to stay here, at least get up and walk around."

"Quit calling me Weasel, ferret boy."

"Don't call me that."

"Then don't call me Weasel."

"You know, I was actually trying to be decent with you and now I remember why I never am. You're impossible." Ron rolled his eyes as Draco finished his statement. Draco stood up and walked away from Ron's bed.

"MR. MALFOY, get in bed." Draco turned around and saw Madam Pomfrey coming out of her office. The boy groaned but crawled back in the bed and laid back down.

The woman left the wing for a moment, only to return with medicine in hand for the two boys. Madam Pomfrey came and stopped at Draco's bed. He saw the cup of liquid in her hand and nervously drunk the disgusting potion, as she turned around to Ron, Draco began to contort his face out of disgust. Ron really didn't want to take whatever the woman held, but reluctantly took it anyway. After he finished his and Madam Pomfrey walked away he held the same expression as Draco had.

Madam Pomfrey returned to her office. "That has got to be the grossest thing I have ever tasted." Draco said lying against his pillows.

Ron was about to say something when the hospital doors opened. Harry walked into the wing and down to the two beds at the end of the hall. Draco sat up furiously. Ron looked over at him.

"No. No. No. If I couldn't have visitors neither can you." Draco said pointing at Harry, who was now at Ron's bedside.

"_You_ wanted your visitor gone too. Harry's not got some annoying voice that no one can stand, and he's not shrouding me with gifts and kissy love."

"Shut up. You don't know anything about Pansy and I, and I don't care if I wanted her gone as well, he's not staying." Draco eyed the new visitor angrily. "I'll call for Madam Pomfrey like you did."

"How about I call her and we can bring back Pansy, so you won't have anything to fuss about?"

"I don't want that girl here, and I don't want him here either." Ron stared at the blonde, he saw Draco was really upset that Harry was in the room, he figured it was from the fact that Draco really couldn't stand Harry, but he wasn't real sure why the other boy seemed so hurt by the visitor.

Madam Pomfrey had heard the commotion outside and returned to find the new visitor, but no one saying anything. She walked down to the end to see who was there; she realized it was Harry when she was right behind him.

"Mr. Potter, I have already shooed off Miss Parkinson this morning for being here. The boys can't have any visitors that rile them. They should be released tomorrow morning so you can see them, or in your case, Mr. Weasley, tomorrow." Madam Pomfrey pushed the raven-haired boy out of the hospital wing.

Ron watched helplessly as Harry was pushed out. He turned back angrily at Draco, to find him wiping away what looked like a tear. The blonde was hunched up with his arms crossed and his covers all the way up to his chest.

Ron was about to say something when Madam Pomfrey returned to the wing with Dumbledore and some man. Both boys quickly sat up and waited for the headmaster to bring the man that would release them into school life again and away from each other.

The man first looked at Ron, because he was closest to him, and after five minutes of Ron being tapped by a wand and touched by the man he said Ron could be released tomorrow morning. Then he moved on to Draco and did the same thing to him and said he was also able to be released tomorrow morning. He then turned to Dumbledore, who smiled and walked the man back out of the hospital wing talking to him, leaving Madam Pomfrey with the boys.

"See there boys, tomorrow morning and you will be released. And if I were either of you, I would pay more attention to whose coming at you when playing Quidditch." The boys nodded and she left. Ron looked over at Draco again; the blonde was his normal composed self, nothing like he had been just 10 minutes before.

"Draco, were you—"

"Shut it. I want to go back to exactly the way things were, so don't talk to me unless you want to be insulted." Draco said lying down and covering himself.

Ron didn't say anything else for the rest of the night and the night went slowly.

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The next morning Ron woke up to find Draco's bed empty and Harry waiting for him to wake up. "Ready to go to class?" Harry asked jokingly. Ron smiled and got out of bed. He closed his curtains and changed into his school uniform and walked out. Harry handed him his book bag and they walked off towards the dungeons, unfortunately Ron's first day back at class was going to be spent in Potions.

They entered the dungeon and took their seats. The bell rang and Snape entered the room. "Now, yesterday you all paired up for your projects, however, not all of you are paired." Snape stared at Draco then turned his attention to Ron. "I hate to do this to you Draco, but the only other person that isn't paired is the person you spent the past three days in the hospital with. So Malfoy, you are paired with Weasley, you can get the instructions from someone else. Now, get in your pairs and discuss what you are going to do."

Ron turned to Harry. "You are supposed to create your own potion for whatever means you want, basically." Harry walked over to the table with Hermione and Ron knew Draco wasn't going to get up, so he got up and walked into the Slytherin section of the class and took a seat next to the blonde.

Snape walked into his office and came back with a million different items floating behind him. Draco and Ron looked at each other then turned away quickly. Snape came by and put a big book on each table, of different types of potions and different versions already made. Draco pulled the book closer to him.

"Draco, I am so sorry you have to be paired with _him_." Pansy had walked up to their table. "I tried to get Snape to let me be your partner, but he said it was unsure of when you'd be out so he wouldn't let me."

"Parkinson, take your seat and get working." Snape yelled from across the room.

Draco leaned back in the chair with the book in front of him. "I want anything that will get her away from me."

"Like an anti-love potion?"

"Yeah." Ron leaned on the table and waited for Draco to continue. "Here's something." Draco pushed the book over to Ron, who looked down at the page and saw this was going to take a long time.

"You know this is going to do take almost a month? Is there a time limit?"

"Before the end of the year, Weasley." Snape said from behind him Ron jumped, but Draco took the book back.

"I don't care how long it takes; I want her to go away. And in a month it will be Valentine's Day, which would make it just that much better."

Ron stared at Draco amazed. "You really are heartless."

"You were pretty mean yesterday."

"Yeah, but I'm not like that every day, you make a sport out of it."

"Whatever, go get all this crap."

Ron stared at him shocked. "Oh no. I am not doing this whole thing alone, you're the one that wants to make this stupid thing anyway, so get your ass up and help me." Ron said, pushing the blonde as he walked around him. Draco watched the redhead for a moment then grudgingly got up and walked up to the front.

Potions was finally over. Ron walked out with Harry, complaining. He heard Draco behind him, and turned to find the boy staring at him angrily. He looked like he had yesterday in the hospital when Harry wouldn't leave. Ron was about to say something when Draco pushed him to the side and walked by.

As the blonde stormed away Ron thought about how much it seemed he'd hurt the boy. Yesterday when Harry wouldn't leave it was as if Draco only wanted to be alone with him, and now when he'd insulted and complained about the blonde, the same reaction came up.

Harry snapped his fingers in front of Ron's face. "Hey, come back to earth." Ron turned his attention from the disappearing blonde, to his best friend. "Why were you looking after Draco?"

"What?"

"After you saw he had heard you and he pushed his way by you, you began to look after him…well like you were sad."

"No. I was just thinking about something from yesterday."

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Draco walked into the common room angrily. He'd been wiping away tears since he left the Potions room, and he wasn't sure why. He had felt the same hurt yesterday in the hospital, and he'd cried then as well, but that still didn't solve his problem of why he'd been crying this time or the last. He realized he had been crying more lately when he was around Ron and Harry.

Draco sat down on the couch and stared at the wall in front of him. He didn't know what was going on with him, and it was frustrating him. As he got comfortable the door opened, and he got up. He didn't want anyone seeing him upset, so he stood up and took his normal smug attitude, but when he turned around he'd wished he hadn't. Pansy had walked through the porthole.

"Draco! So this is where you ran off to after Snape's." Pansy said gleefully as she ran up to the blonde and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"Get off of me." Draco said ripping the girl's arms away from him.

She stared up at him hurt. "Draco, what is wrong with you? You've never pushed me away so much." She continued to stare at him as he coldly stared back at her. "Have you been crying?"

"What?"

"You look as if you've been crying. Have you?"

"No. I'm just stressed. And I'm tired of you always hanging around and off of me. Just stay away." Pansy's eyes filled with tears, but Draco continued to stare hatefully at the dark-haired girl. When she received no better response she ran from the common room crying hysterically.

Ron was walking towards the greenhouses, he'd stopped to go to the bathroom so Harry left him and now he was late for class, but he heard someone running behind him. He turned around and found Pansy with her hands over her face and her head bent down and she was running towards him. He sidestepped the girl, who heard someone move, so she took her hands from her face and looked up at the redhead with her face redder than Ron's hair.

"What happened to you?" Ron asked as she glared up at him.

"What's it matter to you, you hate me, remember?"

"I hate Slytherins, but that doesn't mean I'm not going to care if someone's crying."

"Do you know if Draco really hates me as much as he says he does?"

"From what I know, I'm afraid so."

Pansy heard this and returned to crying with her hands over her face, and she ran off again. Ron took a deep breath and debated on whether he should go and see if he could console her or go to class. Of course after a moment's thought Ron decided Pansy wouldn't talk to him anyway, so he just went down to the greenhouses.

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Ron sat in the Gryffindor common room, it was about 1 in the morning, everyone had gone to bed and was fast asleep, but Ron couldn't sleep, so he kept the fire alive and stared at it in peace. He had been trying to figure out what was going on with Draco and Pansy. Until just recently Draco hadn't extremely pushed Pansy away, she was the only girl that ever paid him any attention and he always enjoyed attention, but now he was apparently saying some things to her that caused her to cry in the middle of school. Not to mention Draco had seemed rather jealous at the hospital and angry at Potions, all because of him.

As Ron was thinking about all of this he remembered his was supposed to be doing some research on the anti-love potion, now that he was thinking of Pansy and Draco. He saw some fifth year had left the big potion book they'd been given on the table in front of the fire. So he picked it up and began to look through it absent-mindedly. He wasn't able to concentrate on the information he was reading, every time he looked at the page his thoughts began to return to Draco and the situation with Pansy. Draco really no longer wanted Pansy to be around, he was going to make an anti-love potion, just to get her away from him.

Ron closed the book and returned it to the table. This was useless, he was going to need sleep for tomorrow, so his best situation was to go back upstairs and try and fall asleep.

Ron opened the door to the dorms and walked over to his bed.

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**AN:** Well I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and there was more to it at the end, but I didn't want to give a lot away already, but Draco and Ron are both going through issues. So tell me what you think and I'll keep writing if you like it, So stay tuned to find out just how Draco and Ron solve their issues. 


	3. Three

**AN:** Okay, so here is chapter three...Draco's actually not in this chapter although he's mention way too much for him not to be, but I actually just sat down probably an hour and half ago and wrote this whole chapter from scratch. So I hope you enjoy it and please tell me what you think, even if you think it's the worst piece of crap you've ever read, I'd still like to know that...sadly enough. Anyway, thanks to my reviews for reviewing and I hope I don't disappoint any of you, and I hope you enjoy this.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own the rights to Harry Potter, I am not J.K. Rowling, and unfortunately I don't make any money from doing this...so please don't sue, I don't have that kind of money. Hope you enjoy the chapter.

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Pansy sat quietly in the library waiting for her visitor. She had been waiting for almost half an hour now, but finally when she looked around the bookshelves for one last time, he arrived. The gangling boy sat down and faced her. Pansy straightened herself up immediately.

"Theodore, you are close with Draco, right?"

The boy stared at her for a moment; then replied: "Define what you mean by close."

"Well, like, he'll tell you anything?"

Theodore shook his head. "No. Draco and I barely talk. There really is only a few people he will confide in, and sorry, but I'm not one of them."

"Then who is?"

"Crabbe, Goyle, but that was obvious, and then there is Zabini."

"Are they the only people?"

"Yes."

"Okay. I guess I'll try and talk to Zabini, because those two goons are just morons and I would prefer not to have anything to do with either of them." Theodore shrugged at the girl's response.

He said goodbye and walked out of the library leaving Pansy alone to think of how she was going to convince Zabini into talking to Draco for her. She knew she could get Nott to do it because she'd always been able to get anything she wanted from him, but it wasn't going to work this time.

--------------------------------

Hermione sat in the common room reading when Ron came in. She noticed that the redhead look depressed and was about to confront him and ask what was troubling him when the boy looked up and began smiling as if nothing was wrong. Hermione watched him for a moment; then decided she wouldn't get an answer out of him even if she were to ask what was bothering him, so she just wouldn't ask.

"Hey Hermione, can I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Okay, see I have this problem. Well it's not really a problem, but it's been bothering me for the past couple of days." Hermione closed the book she had been reading and devoted her attention to her friend. "And scarily enough, it's about Draco." The bushy haired girl's eyebrow rose in suspicion; which Ron had been expecting. He gauged her expression for a moment, but decided there was nothing to worry about and continued. "See I could swear that when we were in the hospital together and Harry had come to visit me, but I wouldn't allow him to be thrown out like Pansy had been, I thought I saw a tear come down from Draco."

Hermione stared at the redhead for a moment confused; then replied simply: "What?"

"That day I had kicked Pansy out of the hospital wing because her voice was annoying me. Then Harry came by later and Draco wanted to kick him out because he wasn't allowed his visitor, so I shouldn't be allowed mine. But I wouldn't allow Harry to be thrown out, and when Pomfrey came out and shooed him away I turned back to Draco and noticed what looked like a tear."

"Okay. You know when you add more words to things it makes more sense." The boy smiled, but didn't say anything. Hermione continued: "So is that all that was bothering you about Draco, or is there more I should know before I tell you what I think."

"There's more." Hermione shook her head and Ron continued: "So then, remember how we had left Potions and I stood outside making insults at Draco?"

Hermione shook her head, but held up her hand for him to stop for a moment. "I just have one question."

"What?"

"Since when did you start calling Malfoy, Draco?"

Ron stopped for a moment and thought about it; then shook his head. "That doesn't matter right now. So you remember the day?" Hermione nodded her head again. "Okay, well then I turned around and saw him there behind me, and he looked as hurt as he had in the hospital when Harry wouldn't leave. He looked as if he was about to cry again."

Ron collapsed against the armchair across from Hermione and waited for the girl's reply. Hermione took a moment to think about what she had just been told; then returned her focus to Ron. "Have you ever found yourself thinking of Malfoy?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean like you are thinking about all of this stuff that just recently happened between you and Malfoy. Have you ever done that before?" Ron continued to stare at her confused. "You are thinking right now about why Malfoy looked at you the way he did or nearly looked like he was going to cry after you insulted him, have you ever thought along these lines when it comes to him before?"

"Not that I can think of, but what does that have to do with anything?"

"Ron, do you like anyone at this moment?"

"No, why?"

"No reason. Well I think Malfoy may just be going through the same issues as yourself, but neither one of you know it."

"And what issues am I going through?"

"I can't tell you that. I'm not always going to be around to solve all of your problems, and I think this one would be a good problem for me to back away from and let you figure out the solution and the answer to it all."

Hermione smiled happily and jumped up from her chair and left the common room. Ron stared after her with a mixture of anger and amazement. He returned his attention to the fireplace and thought about what Hermione had just said to him.

---------------------------

Blaise stood in the hallway waiting for Pansy. He had received a note a few hours ago, saying she wanted to meet him and talk to him about something. So here he was, waiting for her in one of the darkest hallways in the whole castle. He only hoped she was going to kill him over something he'd done. He was about to leave on that thought when the dark-haired girl emerged from one end of the hallway.

"Leaving so soon?"

"No, I was just getting tired of waiting for you."

"Well I'm here now."

"Yeah, so what do you want?"

"Draco will tell you anything right?"

"Most things."

"Well do you think you could get him to tell you something?"

"Depends."

"Depends on what?"

"On what it is that I'm trying to get out of him."

"I need to ask you a favor."

"Is this about asking Draco something he won't tell just anybody?"

Pansy gave him a 'no-duh' look and went on. "Will you?"

"Depends."

"Depends on what now?"

"Depends on what I get out of the whole situation."

"Well, what do you want?"

"I know what I don't want."

"What?"

"I don't want to do any of my homework for a month, including that potion in Snape's."

Pansy's lips tightened. "So let me get this straight. You'll do what I want if I do all of your homework for a month?"

"No."

"No? What do you mean no?"

"I mean I'm not stupid enough on two bases of that situation. One: I'm not stupid enough to not do my homework for a month, especially this year. And two: I'm not stupid enough to trust _you_ to do my homework for a month."

"Are you insulting me?"

"Yes."

"Fine! Then what do you want that you will allow me to give you in exchange for this favor I am going to ask?"

"If you ask me what I think you are about to ask me; then when Draco responds with how much he dislikes you and doesn't want you to be near him, you obey. And get lost. Don't ever talk to him again, nor talking to me, Crabbe or Goyle about him…ever again."

Pansy stared at the taller boy taken aback. "I have enough confidence to know that those are Draco's real feelings, so I will take you up on that, but that's not entirely what I wanted to know from him."

"Fine. What else is there?"

"Find out if he is in love with someone else."

"You want me to find out if Malfoy is in love?"

"Yes. I heard him talking about making some kind of love potion and I want to know who it's for." She smiled. "Of course, he knows he doesn't need to make me a love potion, for I am already in love with him." Blaise rolled his eyes at her. "Anyway, so do we have a deal?"

"Yeah, we have a deal."

"Alright. I guess I'll see you around then." Pansy left the hallway without another word. Blaise watched after her a little annoyed, and knew Draco would be as well.

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Harry found Ron still sitting in the armchair the way Hermione had left him about an hour before. He noticed his best friend was deep in thought as he stared at the blazing fire. Harry had met Hermione on the way up here, and Hermione told the whole story to Harry and exactly what she thought of the situation, and as Harry stared at his best friend and thought of what Hermione had told him he had to agree with her.

Harry went to leave, but Ron caught a glimpse of the movement beside him and came out of his trance. He looked up at his friend, who was smiling down at him innocently. "What?" The redhead asked suspiciously.

"What?"

"What?"

"What the hell do you mean what? I was just standing here and you stared asking me what."

"You were looking at me funny, and you're looking at me weird now, what is so peculiar about me today?"

"Nothing and I wasn't looking at you weird."

"Yes you were."

"I was not."

"You so were."

"Whatever, Ron. Oh by the way, you do know that you have been sitting in that same chair in the same position as when Hermione left you an hour ago?"

"And how would you know if I had or if I hadn't?"

"I met Hermione on the way up here, and she described how she had left you and when I came in you were still in the same position."

"Oh shut up."

Harry laughed at his friend's response. "Come on. It's almost time for dinner and we might as well start heading down to the Great Hall and get you out of this common room."

Ron grudgingly got up from his seat. Harry walked out of the portrait hole and Ron followed, but on his way out he gave one last glance at the fire in the hearth, but nothing more came to mind and he left.

On the way down the boys met up with Hermione who was on her way up to get them. The trio walked down and into the Great Hall as one unit. Hermione would occasionally give a glance to Ron, and find the redhead off in his own world thinking again. She'd never seen him thinking so much about one thing. Harry found himself glancing over at his best friend as well. Harry noticed that Ron was so far out of it, that he could tell Hermione anything he wanted at the moment and Ron wouldn't hear a word of it, so he turned to Hermione and whispered in her ear (not wanting to take any chances) that he agreed with her theory about Ron's situation.

As they entered the Great Hall Harry and Hermione watched Ron instinctively and saw Ron's eye drift to the Slytherin table, but immediately come out of his trance by the smell of food. The two looked at each other then followed Ron down the table to their spots.

Ron munched happily and as always tried to talk with his mouth full so merrily. Harry and Hermione didn't mention anything about what Ron had said about the situation with Malfoy, because they knew he would deny the whole situation, but instead allowed him to talk absent-mindedly about whatever came to mind.

After dinner the trio returned to the common room. Ron returned to his armchair and Harry and Hermione sat down next to each other on the couch. It was almost as if the armchair was a portal, because the moment Ron sat down in the chair and his eyes transfixed upon the fire Ron was off in his own world again.

Harry turned to Hermione finally after almost five minutes of complete silence. "I'd hate to think that that is really what's going on, but I can't help but believe it. It's the only explanation as to why he would think about it for so long, but that still doesn't account for what's going on with Malfoy."

"What do you mean, of course it does."

"How?"

"Malfoy wants that attention and when he doesn't get it, he gets upset and the result is that he ends up near tears."

"I still just can't believe that the two of them—"

"Shh. He's moving around too much for him to still be in a trance."

Harry's attention turned quickly to Ron, who really was moving wildly. Soon the redhead came out of his trance and looked at his two best friends, both of which looked at him wide-eyed and hoping that he didn't hear they were talking about him. "What were the two of you just talking about?"

"Nothing really, just how you were sitting so peacefully in the armchair and it was the only time we'd ever seen you so tranquil." Hermione responded without hesitation.

Ron looked at them suspiciously. "I don't believe you."

"Well fine, but it's the truth."

Ron shrugged and got up from his chair. "I'm heading to bed, are you coming Harry?"

"Yeah."

* * *

**AN:** Okay so it's the end of another chapter. And what the bloody hell is Hermione and Harry talking about? They know something, and something tells me they don't like what they know. But you won't know what they are talking about until later, so you must stay tuned...and damn it don't I sound like one of those stupid advertisement people at the end of my chapters...oh well, I hope all of you thoroughly enjoyed it and watch for the next update. 


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